After the initial draft being released of the Education Inspection Framework I took some time with my highlighter (I am a VERY visual reader!) to have a good read and highlight the changes ready for the consultation ending in April and be prepared for September 2019 when the new framework comes into force.

I was delighted to see my favourite word being used repeated throughout the documentation. The word IMPACT is highly used to ensure we get the message.

And we will.

This word is highly important and needs to be regarded with the utmost respect.

The word IMPACT has been profoundly engraved in my brain thanks to my senior inspector who my I add had the patience of a saint when It came to reading my reports ... yes Vanessa, she would say they read well but WHAT it is the impact...? What is the ‘So What!’ It took some time for me to finally get what that meant and to this day I cannot thank them enough for giving me tools now to do what I do. Whenever I deliver a Quality Improvement Inspection (Qii) often known as mock inspections I ensure that by the time I have left I have relayed this message across to the team to they then can use the word impact in all they do within their setting.

So, there are a few tweaks I believe are needed within the new framework and I am hoping you will have all got a chance to read the consultation and make your points known. If we do not express our feelings, concerns then we surely cannot moan if it does not change and so making a stand together is beneficial for us as well as children.

So, I am delighted to see the idea of a move within the revised framework for providers to demonstrate impact rather than outcomes. (In my eyes the word Education Inspection Framework is still too formal for our Early Years children)

I want to give you an example of a setting who achieved their ultimate goal.

Honeysuckle Day Nursery in Reading asked me to do a Quality Improvement Inspection (Qii) after a disappointing Ofsted result. They wanted me to come and tell them the inspector was wrong with their grading. Now I am all for work and never turn anything down however I said I needed them to take some time first to think about the inspection, digest the report and we would discuss in a month’s time.

When they finally called we arranged a time for me to do a Qii and help them move forward ready for their next impending inspection. This was probably one of the hardest inspections I ever had to do as I actually agreed with their Ofsted inspector and I gave them further recommendations. As you can imagine this was not what they expected. Emotions were running high and they wanted me to say they were hard done by and Ofsted were wrong and they were right.

But I couldn’t do that.

Throughout the inspection I worked with the nursery manager with the So What exercise and what was the impact of what they were doing within their practice. By the end of the Qii she finally got what I was saying and could see why they were given the grading they did.

So, with this is in mind they reflected on their setting, their children and their staff and set ways to improve it ready for their next inspection. They embarked on our #JustQuality adding impact accredited award and each room evaluated everything which went on in their rooms while the manager evaluated the setting as a whole.

Since last May they have worked tirelessly engaging on new ways of improving, upskilling their staff, tracking children’s progress, attending early years conferences as a team and evaluating what they do now and what they can do next… last week they got inspected again and it was a delight to see this setting shine on the day. The nursery manager explained to the inspector how she felt about the last inspection and upon reflection she evaluated her own practice and made her start questionning herself further. The young apprentice who would not make eye contact with anyone or answer any questions made herself known to the Ofsted inspector and showed her their journey through their floor books, the impact this has had on children and what they are going to do next.

Finally, when the time came to give their new grading emotions were again running high but for positive reasons.

The inspector graded them OUTSTANDING, they improved by 3 gradings over a nine month period and I could not have been prouder of this team. They have worked so hard to be all on the bus and ensure they all remain consistent in their approach and made changes if needed. All because they recognise what impact they have on children’s learning and development and what impact they made in the setting.

So through the 6 IMPACTS of the award; #reflection, #protection, #interactions, #inspirations, #progression and #collaboration headings they were able to cover all areas of the statutory framework and be fully prepared for their inspection. Their journey is never ending and they now know it is their own learning story that they want to tell.

So please do not be disheartened with the new education inspection framework headings

-INTENT

-IMPLEMENTATION

-IMPACT

What better way to show your own learning story. #JustQuality Adding impact accredited award!